For an important meeting - what would be the mode of your choice?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From a discussion elsewhere - where someone said they would not take the bus, but rather a taxi, because the bus cannot be relied upon.

I have waited for buses that don't turn up, had taxis loose my booking or be very late ... and I think I remember  a train being cancelled ...  best go early and get a coffee at destination!

[tomL]

...Is it a weekday meeting? (Although you could argue Taxi is the only method that isn't really affected by 'weekend non-working'). 

[grahame]

...Is it a weekday meeting? (Although you could argue Taxi is the only method that isn't really affected by 'weekend non-working'). 

Monday meeting

[PhilWakely]

......Although you could argue Taxi is the only method that isn't really affected by 'weekend non-working'..... 

A very slightly different kettle of fish, I know, but, a couple of years ago I needed to get a wheelchair taxi for my mother on a Saturday. I enquired two weeks ahead, only to get the response............ 'Sorry, but our wheelchair taxi drivers do not work at weekends'

[LiskeardRich]

If it was important I’d leave say an hour early and find somewhere for breakfast or coffee in close vicinity of the meeting.

[CyclingSid]

Awkward squad again! Cycle, bus, train.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Same here. Folding bike, train. The bike doesn't get cancelled due to driver shortages!

[grahame]

......Although you could argue Taxi is the only method that isn't really affected by 'weekend non-working'..... 

A very slightly different kettle of fish, I know, but, a couple of years ago I needed to get a wheelchair taxi for my mother on a Saturday. I enquired two weeks ahead, only to get the response............ 'Sorry, but our wheelchair taxi drivers do not work at weekends'

Wheelchair accessible taxis are a massive issue in places.

As I understand it, there is a requirement on the railways to provide a service of equivalent or better quality for wheelchair users, but that does not seem to extend to individual taxi drivers / firms.  Which provides a huge headache for planned engineering and unplanned onward travel where a scheduled service has gone wrong.

The "rule of unintended consequences" was brought to my attention by a cynic the other day, who suggested that 90 minute delays in finding rail replacement taxis (for able bodies passengers) at Trowbrdge, and 50 minutes at Pilning, is done intentionally so that within the standard time taken a wheelchair accessible taxi could also be found. 

[broadgage]

It depends on the area.
In central London I would favour buses because they run every few minutes, and by allowing a safety margin a timely arrival is virtually certain.
Also if a bus breaks down or suffers gross delay, one may alight and walk, take another bus or a taxi.

A train (inc. LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd)) carries the risk of a prolonged breakdown, with no question of continuing by alternative transport due to the "keep them on the trains no matter what" policy.

In Wurzleshire with unreliable buses at hourly or longer intervals, a taxi is the most reliable option.

I would avoid the train unless circumstances allowed a very generous safety margin, or if the meeting was of extreme importance travel the day before and stay overnight within walking distance.

[eightf48544]

In my case Walk train hopefully walk

If connections involved try and get to destination on the  train before the one required.
 
Early Monday morning meetings do you risk overrunning engineering works or travel Sunday hopefully avoiding Rail Replacement Bus and stay overnight?

[Red Squirrel]

It really depends on where I'm going. For anything within a mile or two (which, where we live, is most things), I walk. For a meeting in London, I get the train and the tube. For central Bristol I'll get the train if it looks like the service is running smoothly, or the bus if not. Other places, most likely I'll drive. If there's somewhere secure to put my bike at the other end, I might cycle. If there really is absolutely no other conceivable way of getting where I want to go, I'll get a taxi.

[eightonedee]

If you can, avoid fixing important meetings on a Monday - risk of overrunning works on the railways, roads at their busiest except for Friday evenings, and probably post weekend blues (remember Bob Geldof's song?) meaning staff absences affecting all modes of public transport. Even if you make it on time, someone else attending may not!